1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber-cover or flocked, porous, flexible, sheet-like textile article and a method of producing such an article. The article comprises an adhesive layer, and a layer of short fibers (flock). A thin adhesive layer is non-adhesively applied to a carrier surface, and electrostatically treated short fibers are introduced into the adhesive material layer. The sheet-like article which is obtained is dried and fixed or set, whereupon it is cleaned and separated from the carrier surface. As such, the article is a self-supporting textile product which is available for further use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Pat. No. 10 81 857 discloses the manufacture of a sheet-like article of adhesive material and short fibers on a carrier surface. Pursuant to this patent, a uniform, continuous film of adhesive material of slightly viscous synthetic material, resin, rubber, or polymer mixture is applied to a carrier surface in the form of a volatile, organic, solvent solution; after being flocked, the film is dried, so that the solvent vaporizes. The sheet-like, textile article which is obtained is light and porous, and exhibits a velvet-like surface. In auxiliary treatment stations, a nap-like surface can also be obtained with the aid of adhesive and a nap layer.
German Pat. No. 832 112 discloses sheet-like, textile articles which comprise a substrate, an adhesive, and short fibers, with a velvet-like surface. Pursuant to this patent, at certain locations the inclination of the fibers is varied by being tilted as a result of being processed with air jets. As a result, lighter and darker effects are achieved in the velvet-like surface.
Pursuant to the handbook "Die textilen Rohstoffe" (the unfinished textile material), E. Wagner, 6th Edition, 1981, page 159, sheet-like, textile articles which are provided with short fibers (flock), are produced as imitations of deer skin, velvet, plush, and fur, as velour paper, as imitation leather, and as other nap products. Serving as a product component which supports the adhesive and the flock is a substrate in the form of cloth, fabric, or paper.
An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate-free, sheet-like, textile article which is provided with a flock layer, has improved wear properties, and furthermore, with regard to its textile surface, has the appearance of an improved flannel-like character.
A object of the present invention is to produce the sheet-like, textile article of standard adhesives and short fibers, and in so doing to simply and economically achieve the desired properties with the aforementioned starting materials and by means of a surface treatment in a further processing stage.